Chapter 3 Him

Finally it was time for lunch and we had hardly forty five minutes. I was the first one out. I ran to the nearest newspaper stand and practically begged him to hook me up to a cigarette shop. Seeing my condition and probably taking pity on me he told me that there was a shop indeed just in front of the restaurant. I thanked him a ton and ran back. I brought an entire pack and a lighter, I knew I shouldn't be smoking in front of the restaurant so I texted Remy.

"Yeah you can actually smoke on the roof. You can go there, but just make sure you don't smell when you come back. Chef doesn't like the smell" was her reply. Smell was something that I could think about later! I raced to the stairs and up the roof. I busted through the door, gasping.

"Hey woah easy tiger" I heard James' voice coming from a corner. He was leaning against a wall at the edge of the roof, a lit cigarette between his fingers.

"I didn't know you smoked" I said as I caught my breath.

"How will you. We hardly had time to talk" he smiled.

"True" I agreed as I walked next to him.

"Why is this place empty? I don't think the lunch time is over" I said as I pulled one stick out an tugged it between my lips.

"No there's still time" he said as he took a long drag.

"Then why is this empty? Don't tell me no one here smokes" I said as I lit my cigarette and took a long puff.

'No it's nothing like that. Most of the people smoke. They are just too scared of Chef Edward. He has a particular hatred towards smoking" he told me.

"Yeah I heard" I paused as I took another puff. "Aren't you afraid?" I asked.

"No! Why should I be? He ain't my mama" he joked and I burst out laughing. For some reason I got a certain liking towards James. Felt like we could be actual friends. And then I felt burning sensation on my neck again. I turned and found those blue eyes staring at us from the door way.

"James, I would like to talk to my Sous Chef alone" he said. "Alone??! WHAT THE FUCK?! I have half a mind to fuck you don't do this!" my inner goddess screamed and for a while his eyes shifted to me for like a millisecond and then they were back on James.

"Right away chef!" James said as he tossed his cigarette and walked away. There silence for a while, felt as if Christopher was waiting and making sure that James was actual far enough to hear anything. The thought of this made my inner goddess scream, "If you wanna fuck me here just do it! I don't really care!"

He took a step towards me then stopped. He titled his head to a side as if acknowledging that it heard it. For the first time since I got here I looked into his eyes. Those beautiful light blue eyes. It felt as if they were actually searching for something. The weird part was looking into his eyes made me want to say whatever was in my head, I did not want to look away: and at the moment his eyes did not burn my skin but neither did they tone down my desire. What felt like a eternity of silence he finally opened his mouth.

"You need to focus" he said in his deep voice. I instantly looked down, gulped and bit my lower lip.

"I'm talking to you" he said bringing his face closer. His warm breath on my forehead made me bite my lip even harder.

"You know I expect a response" he said lowering his voice, it felt as if he was teasing.

"It's.....it's nothing like that chef" I fumbled trying to keep my blood from rising in my cheeks.

"Doesn't seem like it" he said bring his face even closer to mine. His lips inches away from my skin. All I could do was raise my eyes and look at those beautiful pink lips and that beautiful face. All I wanted at that moment was to grab him and kiss him. Make all my imaginations a reality.

"If you don't focus, we can find someone who'll replace you. And that'll happen quicker than you blink" he whispered, his words falling on my skin with his hot breath making the hair on my skin stand. Before I could utter a single word he turned and left leaving me breathless and panting. It took me a couple of minutes to bring myself back to what was happening. I looked at my cigarette, it was almost completely burnt out. I took a puff and tossed it in the trash. I covered my face with my palms and gave my breathing sometime to return to normal. I stood there for almost twenty minutes making sense of what just happened. A part of me was certain that he knew what was in my head, but the other part; the logical part would dismiss it by saying it was impossible. And yes it was! but the pauses, every time he paused when my imagination got the best of. That cannot be a coincidence, it just can't be. I took a deep breath and climbed down the stairs. I walked straight to the employee back area looking Remy.

As I entered the room, I took a quick scan. I saw her sitting in a corner chair with a few people. I pulled my phone out and texted her.

"Standing at the entrance come out now need to talk. Urgent!!" as I saw the SENT notification pop up I looked at Remy. I knew she would pull her phone out she always checked her phone. But she didn't move, she continued her conversation. I wanted to scream her name. I pulled out my phone and dialled her number. She picked up after a few rings.

"Come out I need to talk to you now!!" I said. She looked up from her table and spotted me. She gave me a nod and then got up and started walking through the pool of people. It must have taken her just a few minutes but in my head it felt like hours.

"Hey what's up!" she said as she came and stood next to me.

"Outside now!" I growled as I took her hand and literally dragged her outside.

"Woah hey what's wrong with you?!" she said as she pulled her hand back.

"I can't do this" I said as I brushed my fingers through my hair.

"Context please!" she snarled as she examined her wrist.

"I want to fuck Edwards so bad!!" I said.

"What?!" she exclaimed.

"Are you out of your mind?!" she asked as she pushed me in a corner.

"No and I think he knows" I confessed.

"What!? How?" she asked.

"Whenever he is around me my imagination goes wild and the way he looks at me at that moment..." I choked.

"Oh so in shot in doesn't know" she signed with relief.

"Look Annica nothing should happen and nothing can happen" she said genteelly touching my shoulder.

"Why?! Does he have a girlfriend or a wife?! Is he gay!!? Why the cute ones are always gay!" I bumped my fist in head and this made Remy laugh.

"No and no. He doesn't have a wife or a girlfriend and I don't think so he's gay. The issue is he's your boss" she said.

"He's GAY" I said pursing my lips and shaking my head.

"No" she smiled.

"If I don't wanna fuck up then in my head he's gay. End of discussion" I said as I opened the door and walked in.

"Whatever works for you big girl" Remy smiled as she followed me in.

I spent the rest of my shift helping James and other chef's around the kitchen. And whenever I felt the burning sensation on my skin I just told myself "Nothings gonna happen he's gay". But there's only so much I could control. He was still hot at the end the day and I am still a woman so my trick got old pretty quickly ans my inner goddess started imaging him, me and another man together.

"Oh fuck you!" I cussed her.

"Chef?" Lilith asked.

"Did you say something?" she added.

"No sorry!" I replied.

"Anyways this is all done" I smiled.

"Looks amazing chef!" she complimented.

"Where did you learn this?" she asked.

"When where I use to work we never had just nine or twelve hour shifts. They were way longer. So I get to spend time with some amazing people and learn a lot" I told her.

"That sounds brutal" she admitted.

"No it wasn't I love my work" I smiled.

"Chef Edwards never did that to us. And honestly I'm happy about it. Because if he did, none of us would have any personal lives" she said.

"Well true" I replied.

"Gather around crew!" chef Edwards said.

"Come let's go" I said as me and Lilith joined the entire crew. I saw James pointing for me to go and stand front. I went around the people and stood behind James and Christopher. I could feel the sensations returning making it harder for me concentrate on the debriefing.

"Shut up he's gay. He's gay HE'S GAYYYY" I shut my eyes and screamed at my inner goddess. For a moment everything felt quite. Too quite. I opened my eyes and say everyone staring at me. "SHIT! DID I ACTUALLY SCREAM THAT?!" I gulped, hard. Christopher looked at me his eyes raging then he tuned back to the crew.

"Good work today everyone I'll see you all tomorrow" he finished.

"Thank you chef" everyone said together and then started going to the locker room.

"You okay right?" James asked.

"What happened?" I questioned.

"Well chef was talking and then suddenly he stopped and he looked at you. Then we all looked at you and you were squinting your eyes" he replied. I signed with relief.

"Yeah I was..." I paused as I saw Edwards walking towards me.

"Well that's my cue to leave! I'll see to tomorrow bye!" he said before h turned back and literally ran.

"Your work is not done yet" Edwards said. arms crossed and pressed to his chest.

"Chef?" I asked, confused.

"Your on clean up duty. Get to work!" he commanded.

"Excuse me?" I said but he didn't hear me. He turned and left. Leaving me dumb found, my head lowered, and my eyes bulging above my glasses.

As I saw everyone leave, I started wiping the kitchen counters. I then took all the chopping boards and plated and put them in the sink. I knew I had to give them a little scrub before loading them in the dishwasher. I let out and exasperated sign and got to work.

"Hey don't you have to go home?" I heard Remy's voice which made me turn.

"I'm not done yet apparently" I replied.

"Why you washing dishes?" she asked.

"Chef told me to do it" I replied as I continued scrubbing bowls and plated.

"I don't know much about the working of the kitchen but that's not your job" she said.

"I know but you do whatever the chef says. He could have asked me to bend over or suck his cock but NOOOOO " I forced a smile.

"Huh" she smiled, playfully hitting my arm.

"Do you want me to wait?" she asked.

"No no you go home I'll come back by myself" I replied.

"Are you sure?" she asked.

"Yeah don't worry" I reassured her.

"Okay. Call me when you get in a cab" she said. And I nodded.

It was frustrating seeing everyone leave and me being stuck here doing something that wasn't even a part of my job description, but I couldn't complain.

I loaded the last round of dishes in the dishwasher and took a breath of relief.

"Finally!" I said. I then walked up to his office and gently knocked on the door.

"Come in!" he said. I let myself in. The he was, sitting on his chair in a black full sleeves t shirt. And honestly this piece of cloth did justice with his amazing physic.

"What?" he asked. I gulped and slightly shook my head.

"I'm all done chef" I said, forcing a smile.

"Hmm" he said as he got back to his computer.

"Do you need anything else done?" I asked.

"No you can leave" he replied without looking up.

"Very well have a good night chef" I replied as I closed his office door and took a few steps back. "FUCK ME HOW AM I EVER GONNA GET THAT IMAGE OUT?!" my inner goddess asked. And I did not know what to tell her.

"Annica!" I heard him call my name. It gave me tingles. It sounds so sexy in his deep voice.

"Yes chef?" I asked peaking my head in his office.

"How you gonna go home?" he asked.

"I'll take a cab" I replied.

"It's late I'll drop you. Go change" he said.

"It's fine...." I paused as I saw his face curled in a serious look.

"Yes chef" I whispered as I left his office. I quickly changed and walked out with my things. And I saw him standing so tall, so handsome. He felt nothing but a piece of art perfectly made.

"Come on" he said as he lead me out to his car.